Niacin may not help arteries

BALTIMORE, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Prescribing niacin -- a B vitamin -- may not help open arteries, U.S. researchers said.

Senior study investigator Dr. Joao Lima of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore said vascular imaging of 145 men and women age 65 and older with existing artherosclerosis showed no measurable difference in arterial wall thickness reductions between the half who took dual niacin-statin therapy for 18 months and the rest who remained on statin therapy alone.

However, results showed the group taking both niacin and a statin -- a cholesterol lowering drug -- had blood levels of low-density lipoprotein or the "bad" cholesterol, go down 5 percent more than those of taking statins alone.

Also, high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol increased 14 percent over those taking statins alone.

"Our findings tell us that improved cholesterol levels from taking combination vitamin B niacin and statin therapy do not necessarily translate into observable benefits in reversing and stalling carotid artery disease," Lima said in a statement.

"This does not mean that niacin therapy may not have other cardiovascular benefits, but any such benefits are independent of reducing the amount of plaque buildup and patients should be aware of that."

The findings was presented at the American Heart Association's annual scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla.